The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-06-16
A Da maging Confession.

The Richmond Wing publishes in its
editorial columns the following article
from the Alexandria Item, replying to a
paragraph in the Petersburg InCer- Aypeol
Of course we have nothing to do with the
| family contention Ill the Democratic
ranks about the State Convention, But
the public generally have something to dc
with the sentiment and policy advanced by
the Alexandra Item and practically Ell.
J dorsed by the Wing. The confession OF
the Item is important as showing the ulti
mate purpose of the party it represents
1t is in veri.ication OF what the Republi
cans have charged over and over again
that the leaders Of the Democratic party
cared nothing about the debt or the State
That all they do care about is the power
that the control of the State assures-tht
power to dispense the revenues for parti-
Zan purposes, and to legislate and admin
ister the government IN the interest OF
party regardless of the welfare of the
people. Mark the language and the idea
of the Item. The decisions of the courts
are to he delied-the credit and character
of the State are to be disregarded, and the
welfare of the people to be made secon-
Diary to party success. Party is the first
and last consideration, with the distinct
proposition that no interest Of the Com
mCnwealth is to b. seriously thought OF
that lies in the path OF party sue
| no Of
to endorse such proposition and policy
Let them reflect little over the enormity
of the suggestion, and act and vote in the
premises like freemen and as true sons OF
Virginia should act and vote. The fol.
lowing is the article:
'.Our esteemed contemporary, the Pc
tersburg deT-Appedl, is of the oAinion
that the Riddleberger bill will receive 10
serious consideration in the Democratic
State Convention, on account OF the adrerse
decisions of the Supreme Court"
"Will the Lader-AppeM indicate some
plan of settlement that the DemOci attic
voters would be likely to endorse that would
not receive an ddrerse decision by the Su-
preme courts?
I'VE take it, the Democratic convention
is to be called to adopt plan cf campaign
for the fall elections-Such /; plan as is
most likely to secure success. Therefore,
it is more important to the party to adopt
Il plan of debt settlement that will be ac-
ceptable to the voters than one that would
stand the test Of the courts. This is
politics. And as long as the debt queS-
tion remains party question, it is neces-
sary to deal with it in a manner that will
receive the endorsement of the voters
not that of the Supreme Court. There
fore. our esteemed contemporary reason
for thinking that the Riddleberger bill will
receive no consideration by the convention
on account Of the aduerse decisions Of the
Supreme Court, is not. we think, well
founded, Victory is much more impor-
tant TO the leaders of the party than a set
Element of the debt
1T will be much safer for the Democrat
ic party to adhere to the Riddleberger set
Element, or something similar to it, than 1t
will be Il attempt to meet the requirements
of the Supreme Court-especally rs those
requirements carry with them the fulfil
ment of what that court has been pleased
to decide. is an lrrepealable contract. The
most popular plan the Democratic conven
ton can adopt, is to make the calling of q
Constitutional Convention to settle the
debt question an issue